This book is a way to create a metaphor for children to understand the life of someone who is non-binary or transgender by comparing these identities to a crayon. The story is told from the point of view of a pencil, who helps red find out who he truly is. Throughout the story, the characters are constantly trying to change who red is and continuously comment on everything he does.

This book is a great way to introduce to children more complex situations and ideas that they may not fully understand at a young age. It helps create an understanding that not everyone is the same, and to not judge someone based on how they choose to present themselves. Transgender and non-binary identities have been presented in the news, oftentimes because of the misunderstanding of what it means to be either. Books like Red: A Crayon’s Story will help squash myths and misunderstandings on these identities. Overall, this book presents readers with a simplified explanation of a more complex, though incredibly important, concept.